Sydney’s best fashion hotspots and places to shop: an insider’s guide
- Sydney is known for its laid-back classic style, but today it includes high-end global brands like Gucci and Balenciaga, partly fuelled by the Asian market
- Local labels such as Aje, P.E Nation and Camilla & Marc have become heroes on the city’s style scene
Sydney’s classic “look” might traditionally have been all blonde bombshells and surfers, but now thanks to glam urbanites, elevated earth mother types, vintage lovers and edgy unisex fashion, the Australian city’s style has diversified – making it the perfect place to shop and people watch.
“One catalyst of change in Australian fashion is the Asia market,” says Dane Stojanovic, creative director of women’s magazine Grazia Australia. “Their buying power is increasingly significant here.”
This is most visible in the revamped central business district – now a high-end shopping hub with international brands’ flagships dotted along areas like George Street. Asian students, tourists and young residents fund the city’s high fashion boutiques with their obsession for brands like Off-White, Gucci and Balenciaga. Parallel to this, a growing scene in Australia for designers of Asian descent is offering a new aesthetic.
Sydney’s local labels, from the glam to grungy, are also becoming more international. Below, Sydney insiders share their tips on the best places to hang out, shop and people watch in Australia’s biggest, most picturesque city.
Fashion scene favourites
“There’s an alluring artistic energy in Sydney, especially in areas like Paddington and Darlinghurst,” says Australian fashion writer and social media influencer Alexia Petsinis. “It’s great to wander from street to street, stumbling upon small art galleries and vintage stores.”
